2026-2027 Roster discussion thread

[TrueblueCATfan]

Okay, I get it, CalIpari sucked his past few years at Kentucky but with all the MItch behind the scenes stuff, i can see whey Cal mentally checked out.

Still, if not for the fluke Wisconsin win, dude may have been the first modern day coach to run the table 40-0 and would have been a KENTUCKY legend.

Plus with all that being said, Calipari was a true down to earth blue collard guy off the court here in Kentucky, he did a lot of great things. The one thing he will deny to his grave is all the money he donated out of his pocket. Yeah i think giving anyone a lifetime contract is horrible but Cal gave back. In fact it is known in some circles that money he donated he didn't want to get credit for and kept it silent, again would deny it to his grave.

Doesn't matter now because whoever the coach is at Kentucky or any school for that matter, it's all a one and done type of deal. The old days and ways of doing things have been over. If the transfer rules get modified and limited that will help but right now it's the wild wild west. You think a NBA NFL MLB off season is crazy, how about 360 teams with moving parts, throw in D2 AND D3, it's over a 1000.

Back to Pope, i hate that Pope has to go through some of the things he has had to endure, some of it out of his control, some of it his own fault.

Year 3 has to be a year like no other for him in my opinion, i just hope it all falls in place and he learns from this mess this year.

The way Cal is tied in with these young kids, still wish he could have stuck around and played the GM role at KENTUCKY, he would have been perfect for that in my opinion...

2021..2022..2023 were bad...all 3 years were the worst
Cal was still a great Coach his first 10 years IMO
dont get me wrong I loved Cal But I was ready for him to move on

[Cawood86]

Okay, I get it, CalIpari sucked his past few years at Kentucky but with all the MItch behind the scenes stuff, i can see whey Cal mentally checked out.

Still, if not for the fluke Wisconsin win, dude may have been the first modern day coach to run the table 40-0 and would have been a KENTUCKY legend.

Plus with all that being said, Calipari was a true down to earth blue collard guy off the court here in Kentucky, he did a lot of great things. The one thing he will deny to his grave is all the money he donated out of his pocket. Yeah i think giving anyone a lifetime contract is horrible but Cal gave back. In fact it is known in some circles that money he donated he didn't want to get credit for and kept it silent, again would deny it to his grave.

Doesn't matter now because whoever the coach is at Kentucky or any school for that matter, it's all a one and done type of deal. The old days and ways of doing things have been over. If the transfer rules get modified and limited that will help but right now it's the wild wild west. You think a NBA NFL MLB off season is crazy, how about 360 teams with moving parts, throw in D2 AND D3, it's over a 1000.

Back to Pope, i hate that Pope has to go through some of the things he has had to endure, some of it out of his control, some of it his own fault.

Year 3 has to be a year like no other for him in my opinion, i just hope it all falls in place and he learns from this mess this year.

The way Cal is tied in with these young kids, still wish he could have stuck around and played the GM role at KENTUCKY, he would have been perfect for that in my opinion...

Wow.....you're definitely a Cal guy for sure

[KentuckyWild2020]

Okay, I get it, CalIpari sucked his past few years at Kentucky but with all the MItch behind the scenes stuff, i can see whey Cal mentally checked out.

Still, if not for the fluke Wisconsin win, dude may have been the first modern day coach to run the table 40-0 and would have been a KENTUCKY legend.

Plus with all that being said, Calipari was a true down to earth blue collard guy off the court here in Kentucky, he did a lot of great things. The one thing he will deny to his grave is all the money he donated out of his pocket. Yeah i think giving anyone a lifetime contract is horrible but Cal gave back. In fact it is known in some circles that money he donated he didn't want to get credit for and kept it silent, again would deny it to his grave.

Doesn't matter now because whoever the coach is at Kentucky or any school for that matter, it's all a one and done type of deal. The old days and ways of doing things have been over. If the transfer rules get modified and limited that will help but right now it's the wild wild west. You think a NBA NFL MLB off season is crazy, how about 360 teams with moving parts, throw in D2 AND D3, it's over a 1000.

Back to Pope, i hate that Pope has to go through some of the things he has had to endure, some of it out of his control, some of it his own fault.

Year 3 has to be a year like no other for him in my opinion, i just hope it all falls in place and he learns from this mess this year.

The way Cal is tied in with these young kids, still wish he could have stuck around and played the GM role at KENTUCKY, he would have been perfect for that in my opinion...

[KentuckyWild2020]

Unpopular opinion but DJ Wagner is a free agent again and we need a point guard. If Diallo isn't on board, DJ could fill a need plus I like his game his game when he's on.

[Cawood86]

I'm glad he left when he did. I just wish it had been years earlier.

Same for me

[Matt Dillon]

I'm glad he left when he did. I just wish it had been years earlier.

[UKHoops01]

The last several years of Cal were worse than what we've had since. There was no indication he would have done anything other than his status quo until he retired. He should have been let go about 5 years before he left.

The only reason he's had a little success (as in, staying ranked and advancing past the first game in March Madness) is because of the embarrassment he suffered by having to look elsewhere or be shown the door by Kentucky. If not for that, he'd continue using UK as a one and done basketball factory for players and for tournament participation.

[Cawood86]

Knowing what I know now, would not have hurt my feelings to see the Cal era run it's course until retirement...

No way for me... not at all

[WeWant9]

If you believe people like Trilly- says Chandler asked BYU for a boatload of cash and they told him no.

[Pete Hogwallop]

Knowing what I know now, would not have hurt my feelings to see the Cal era run it's course until retirement...

The last several years of Cal were worse than what we've had since. There was no indication he would have done anything other than his status quo until he retired. He should have been let go about 5 years before he left.

[WeWant9]

Knowing what I know now, would not have hurt my feelings to see the Cal era run it's course until retirement...

Hindsight is always 20/20, but I get your point. I wasn't around here for the end of his tenure, so not sure what the overall temp was on him here. Everywhere else I was posting was red hot.

I personally don't think he would be retaining guys if he stayed at UK. I think going somewhere else allowed him to reset the perception that it's okay to stay 2-3 years under him. But at the end of the day he usually brought in the talent to mask a lack of Xs and Os. Last season we lacked in talent and Xs and Os.

[KentuckyWild2020]

You're pretty well spot on. One and done but with 21-15 talent.

Knowing what I know now, would not have hurt my feelings to see the Cal era run it's course until retirement...

[KentuckyWild2020]

AJ might have been the only European player in the portal who couldn't throw it in the ocean.

Yeah his shooting was not as good as anticipated but I do believe he can get better.. Doesn't matter now, he will be playing elsewhere it seems lol lol..

[EKYCat]

How is this any different than the Calipari era?????

Except this time, you get 3 or 4 star scrubs and over pay them to live a life of luxury.

At least with 5 star one and done's, those guys still had something to prove every time they stepped on the court to impress the next level scouts.

This system guys get paid and just flat out sit on their a$$, play don't play ,it don't matter, still going home to the upscale apartment driving a high end vehicle with a certified 9 or 10 Kentucky basketball groupie on the side...

Mark Pope needs a huge offseason and major season number 3 or it's get the ax time.

Good news, Billy D didn't take the NC job, other good premier coaches could also be avaialbe.

if he can't recruit, time to go period or even retain what he has, time to go...

You're pretty well spot on. One and done but with 21-15 talent.

[EKYCat]

That sucks about AJ, still don't think we was able to see the best of him, he didn't even play half the time....

Hope he comes back, pay the man, we need a big.....

Chandler, Williams, AJ, Moreno.. Something to build off.....

AJ might have been the only European player in the portal who couldn't throw it in the ocean.